I must confess, I’m not exactly crazy about pineapple tarts. Yes, completely inconceivable, I know, given that these tarts are a staple in every household here in Singapore come Chinese New Year. But I have two perfectly valid reasons; my family makes them EVERY year and the process is extremely laborious, especially if one makes the pineapple jam from scratch.

In the past few years, my dad has taken over the time-consuming process that is pineapple jam making. I think it could be because:

a) He actually enjoys the process because I cannot imagine why anyone would otherwise take on a task which consists of grating 8 - 10 ripe honey pineapples by hand and then standing in front of a hot stove, constantly stirring a pot of juicy grated pineapples for 3 - 4 hours until almost all the juice has cooked away and the jam has caramelized to a lovely golden colour.

b) He wants to make sure that his favourite pineapple tarts are on the Chinese New Year baking schedule. There’s no denying the persuasive power of the following argument: “But I’ve already spent hours slaving over the stove making the jam.”

My mum prefers open-faced tarts to rolled balls of pastry with pineapple filling, so the next steps are making, kneading, rolling and cutting the tart dough. The small tarts are then brushed with egg yolk, filled with pineapple jam and finally topped with strips of pastry, which are then also brushed with egg yolk. It may sound easy, but I’m usually pretty tired by the time we get to the 4th tray of tarts.

Every year, after the last tray of tarts comes out of the oven, I tell myself that I won’t make pineapple tarts next year. But deep down, I know that we’d still end up doing it because my brother, who’s a really picky-eater and who’d travel miles for good food, tells us that he’s yet to taste any pineapple tarts that are as good as these.

Here’s wishing everyone a very Happy Chinese New Year!

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on Thursday, February 7th, 2008 at 10:40 pm and is filed under Cookies, Pies & Tarts.
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Helen: Yes, I’ve tasted the Taiwanese pineapple cakes - they have a lovely crumbly, buttery pastry. I think it’s a great idea to use canned, crushed pineapples, although I’m not sure if the texture would be the same as grated pineapples. It’s also definitely more cost effective to use fresh ones here since pineapples are so readily available.

How did I miss your blog before? Your stories are wonderful, and your photos are just stunning. I’m a software developer too, and nothing relaxes me more than to cook and bake after a day of wireframing and coding. Cheers!

Hi there
How to you keep your tarts fresh for several days. I would cooled mine totally store in air tight container, next day they became soft and did not taste as fresh. Do you have this problem? Hope you can help. Thanks.

Hi Karen, I chanced upon your blog by chance…looking for muffins recipes. I love the photography and how you package those gingerbread. Do you sell the pineapple tarts? My friend and I are always looking for home made pineapple tarts. Fingers XXX.

I too would love to sample these cookies. My father has told me about them but we really don’t know where to go about purchasing them. Is there anyway you would share the recipe so I can recreate this treat for my father?

Just chanced upon your website.. lovely tarts! I just tried making them today..twice! but failed! 1st time, the dough too dry and second time, there was a funny plastic smell. ..not sure if I could ask you for some tips??
I am using Ariston oven..first attempt i tried the “Fan assisted” option at 180 degrees - hence dough too dry…second attempt i tried the ” convection’ option ( which is the one with 2 lines up and down) for 180 degrees - and it came out with a weird plastic smell..not sure is it cos the butter when i rubbed it in was already melting… but both times, the tarts did not have the brown coating which indicate it is cooked at the bottom..
Could you pls give me some advice pls!!!
Thanks so much!